Posted: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:28 AM - 8,369 Readers

By: Mike Reeder

Boerne High School football coach Dane Johnson had a method to his madness when he booked the two-time defending Class 4A state champion Austin Lake Travis Cavaliers for his young team's home field debut last Friday.

Johnson wanted the underclassmen who stud his lineup to learn up close and personal what championship-level football is all about. It didn't take long for the lesson to sink in.

Receiver Griffin Gilbert, the brother of UT freshman quarterback Garret Gilbert, hauled in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Cavalier quarterback Michael Brewer on the game's second play that opened the flood gates. With less than six minutes gone in the first quarter Lake Travis had already gone ahead 28-0. Four minutes later, it was 35-0, and Cavalier Coach Chad Morris began pulling his starters before the second period got underway.

By that time, Johnson had gathered his team on the sideline to remind them what the game was all about.

“Don't worry about what they're doing and don't get down,” Johnson said. “Just work on what you're doing and make some plays. It's time to grow up and be men.”

As much as they could, that's what the Greyhounds did. Sophomore quarterback Will Amick completed several short throws on his team's first possession and succeeded in leading the Hounds to a first down against the Cavalier's number one defense. It was an impressive performance deep in Boerne territory that could have been even better if not for some unfortunate drops.

Lake Travis went on to win 52-0, with Cavaliers' Coach Chad Morris doing everything he could to hold down the score. In addition to pulling his starters, Morris had his team stop rushing on punts and start pulling up on its pass rush in the second half. By mutual agreement both coaches allowed the clock to run continuously in the final two periods.

There had never been any doubt that the senior-laden Cavaliers would romp against a Boerne team with 14 sophomores and only one senior with any varsity experience.

The test would be how the young Greyhounds, who are reviving a program gone dormant when the school closed for renovations, would handle themselves against such an intimidating opponent. By that standard, the Hounds passed with flying colors.

In addition to good quarterback play from Amick and Alex Perez, Boerne linebacker Jackson Ward and defensive back Avery Schneider dealt out two of the best hits delivered by any player on either team. Kick returner Nolan Campbell stepped up with a pair of long returns that exposed some chinks in the Cavaliers' armor and not a single Boerne player was hanging his head after the game.

“We just wanted to do our best and see what happened and I'm glad we played them,” Ward said. “They're what we need to be.”

“Playing a team that's won two state titles is an honor,” Perez said. “They were nice guys and they played hard. We did all we could and just hope next week's a different story.”

“I told them in the locker room before the game that I'm not apologizing for scheduling this team,” Johnson said. “We want to play these kind of teams to see where we're at and what we need to do. Our young pups stood up there and took the challenge on and I'm proud of them.”

Boerne still has five games left to notch its first win and most of those opponents will be much closer to the Greyhounds' talent level. The Hounds travel to Leander Friday to play Roust, armed with the certain knowledge that no team they face from now on can remotely compare to the one they've already tangled with last week.

*  Story Contributed by: Mike Reeder